Danetre Hospital 2014-10-16 Person 0 5 0

I became suicidal at work after a build-up of depression. My supervisor, the Senior Charge Nurse at the care home where I am employed, telephoned Daventry Mental Health Resource Centre in order to speak to Dr Tim Millward as I requested. She left the room for the conversation, then returned, and said, "I can't believe your psychiatrist is so unhelpful. Is that normal?" I replied that I'd only seen him once, but knew that he was not listening to what I was saying during the appointment. (I had ignored this at the time, thinking that maybe I had misread him, but this lack of help when I desperately needed it proved his complete lack of interest). Fortunately, my supervisor got me a GP's appointment, where I was then referred on to the crisis team. My supervisor has been in mental health nursing for many years, and isn't a shrinking violet unused to people being brusque or evasive, so the fact she found his unhelpfulness noteworthy was concerning. I was later told what had happened in the conversation between my supervisor and Dr Millward. She had requested an appointment and he had said, "We don't give adhoc appointments". She said this wasn't adhoc, it was an emergency, and could he not find 20 minutes in his day to see me. He said no. She said I was suicidal, and his response was " Call the police", which she refused to do on the grounds I was only threatening myself and not others. I understand he may not have been able to see me himself, but it seems he didn't even attempt to pass me on to someone who could. If the police had become involved and things had got worse I could've ended up with a record that cost me my job and, as I work with vulnerable adults, stopped me working in that sector. I'm sure the police have better things to do than clear up after health professionals who can't be bothered with their patients. Ironically my support worker (who recently lost her post) said to me in our last appointment that I could ring Daventry MHRC if unwell and I'd always be seen by someone. Evidently not true. This experience has left me bitter and angry. I therefore refuse to see Dr Millward at any time, in any capacity, even if it means waiting longer for an appointment or treatment.